Graduates of AVMA accredited schools take the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE) administered by the NBVME National Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners [
http://www.nbvme.org/?id=12 ]and a state licensing exam (if applicable-state specific).
Non-AVMA accredited have a choice between the The Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG) certification program which is accepted by all 50 states or the Program for the Assessment of Veterinary Education Equivalence (PAVE) which is not accepted by all 50 states.
The ECFVG program involves the following steps
http://www.avma.org/education/ecfvg/default.asp
1. Enroll in the program (pay fees and provide credentials) when you are entering your last year of school or post graduation.
2. Verify ability to speak English (waiver or test)
3. Take the
Basic and Clinical Sciences Examination (BCSE) which is a 225-question, multiple-choice, computer-based assessment of basic and clinical veterinary sciences knowledge.
4. Complete the Clinical Proficiency Examination (CPE) to complete the program and achieve certification. The CPE is a multi-day, multi-section postgraduate assessment of hands-on clinical veterinary medical skills covering entry-level skills in both large and small animal species, as well as laboratory and other diagnostic practices.
The PAVE program
http://www.aavsb.org/PAVE/PAVEHome.aspx
1. Enroll in the program (pay fees and provide credentials) when you are entering your last year of school or post graduation.
2. Verify ability to speak English (waiver or test)
3. Take the (QE) Qualifying Exam
http://www.nbvme.org/?id=57(similar to BSCE)
AND the NAVLE.
4.
Pathway 1 (pre- or post-graduation): evaluated clinical experience at an accredited veterinary school or
Pathway 2 (post-graduation): the Veterinary Clinical Skills Assessment (VCSA)examination.
